How To Have a Growing Church

1 Corinthians 1:10-17 Christianity is an evangelistic faith. Because we know that people who die without knowing Christ as Saviour face a terrible eternity, we should concentrate on evangelism, winning people to Christ. We carry the commission Jesus gave to the disciples before He returned to glory. He said, “Make disciples of all nations” (see Matthew 28:19-20). That is our primary responsibility. Many talk about how we need to nurture as well as evangelize. That is true, but the last and most important command from Jesus was for His followers to make disciples. He said this is accomplished by “teaching them to observe all things” (verse 20). It seems that far too much attention is given to building larger meeting houses. We have great, elaborate, beautiful houses to worship in. But where are the people? There is something strange about that because there is not one reference in the Bible, not even a hint, about what the meeting house should be or how large it should be, or how ornate it should be. Nothing! It is always about the body, the body of Christ. People are more important than buildings. The church is people. We all have heard accounts of travelers in other lands, for example, China, where Christians meet in houses. The Chinese believers don’t have elaborate meeting houses; yet they have warm, wonderful fellowship because the body of Christ meets there. Many churchmen in the West talk about kingdom building. They say we are kingdom builders. My friend, I must disagree with that. We are not kingdom builders. That is not what Jesus sent us to do. Jesus has commissioned us to win souls and to build up the body of Christ. The Bible tells us the kingdom will come when the King comes back. Amen. He went into a far country to receive a kingdom, and when He comes back, the kingdom will be here. We pray, “Thy kingdom come.” We never pray, Help us to build the kingdom, when we pray the Lord’s prayer. Therefore, let’s focus our attention on the apostle’s words in I Corinthians 1:10-17. 10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak thesame thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together inthe same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house ofChloe, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I ofCephas; and I of Christ. 13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul. 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; 15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. 16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptizedany other. 17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lestthe cross of Christ should be made of none effect. From these words from the apostle Paul, I am bringing you several positive DIRECTIVES that, if followed, will help your church grow. The first directive is: RECOGNIZE COMMENDABLE PRACTICES 10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the samething, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. Gather around Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul is making a plea to the Corinthian bel...